When people talk about the greatest year in cinema history, they usually point to 1939. It gave us Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz. But tucked away in the corners of the Warner Bros. release schedule was a weird little musical comedy called Naughty but Nice 1939. It’s not a masterpiece. It’s definitely not Casablanca. Yet, it tells us a hell of a lot about how Hollywood was trying to sneak a little rebellion past the moral police of the era.
If you haven't seen it, the plot is basically a classic "fish out of water" setup. Dick Powell plays Professor Donald Hardwick, a straight-laced music teacher from a small town. He writes a serious, high-brow symphony. He heads to New York to get it published. Then, things get messy. His "noble" music gets stolen, jazzed up, and turned into a massive radio hit by a lyricist played by Gale Page. Suddenly, the professor is the king of swing, much to his own horror.
Why Naughty but Nice 1939 was a product of its time
Hollywood in the late thirties was a strange place. The Hays Code—that strict set of "thou shalt nots" for movies—was in full swing. Joseph Breen, the guy who ran the Production Code Administration, was basically the most powerful man in movies. He checked every script for "suggestive" dancing, "excessive" kissing, and any hint that a character might be having a good time without being married.
Naughty but Nice 1939 tried to live right on that edge. The title itself was a wink. It promised something scandalous while staying technically clean enough to pass the censors. Honestly, it’s a bit of a bait-and-switch. The "naughty" part is mostly just a guy drinking too much and a few fast-talking dames trying to lead him astray.
The movie was actually a remake of a 1927 silent film called The Love Mart, but they updated it for the swing era. That’s the real hook. In 1939, big band music was the rock and roll of its day. Parents hated it. Kids loved it. By framing the story around the "corruption" of classical music by jazz, the filmmakers were tapping into a real cultural war.
The cast that kept it afloat
Dick Powell was going through a bit of a crisis during the filming of Naughty but Nice 1939. He was tired of being the "pretty boy" tenor. He wanted to do hard-boiled stuff. You can actually see some of that frustration in his performance. He plays the professor with a certain edge that makes the comedy work better than it should. It’s a far cry from the detective roles he’d take later in Murder, My Sweet, but the transition was starting.
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Ann Sheridan, the "Oomph Girl," is the real reason to watch this. She was one of the most charismatic stars of the decade. Her timing is impeccable. She doesn't just play the love interest; she owns every scene she’s in.
Then there’s Ronald Reagan. Yeah, that Ronald Reagan. He plays Ed Porter. It’s a supporting role, but he’s remarkably natural on screen. This was back when he was a reliable contract player for Warners, before he became "The Gipper" or the President. Seeing him in this light is always a trip.
The music and the "stolen" symphony
The movie revolves around the song "In a Moment of Weakness." In the story, it’s the pop version of the professor’s serious work. In reality, it was written by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer. These guys were titans. Harry Warren wrote "At Last" and "Chattanooga Choo Choo." Johnny Mercer is... well, he’s Johnny Mercer.
The music is genuinely catchy. That’s the irony of Naughty but Nice 1939. The film wants us to sympathize with the professor’s desire for artistic purity, but the "trashy" pop music is actually great. It’s a classic conflict of high art versus low art.
- High Art: The professor's original symphony, which is boring and dry.
- Low Art: The swing version that everyone actually likes.
The movie eventually settles for a middle ground. It suggests that maybe music doesn't have to be one or the other. It’s a very 1930s "let's all get along" resolution.
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A messy production history
Warners didn't exactly have the easiest time getting this to theaters. It was originally titled The Professor Steps Out. Then they changed it to I'm Just Wild About Harry. Finally, they landed on Naughty but Nice 1939. They were clearly trying to market it as a "pre-code" style romp, even though those days were long gone.
The director, Ray Enright, was a workhorse. He directed over 70 films. He wasn't an auteur like Orson Welles or John Ford. He was a guy who knew how to stay on budget and on schedule. You can feel that efficiency in the film. It moves fast. It doesn't linger on deep emotions. It’s built for the Saturday afternoon crowd.
The legacy of the "naughty" title
Does it actually rank among the greats? No. But Naughty but Nice 1939 is a fascinating time capsule. It shows us a Hollywood in transition. It’s a bridge between the innocent musicals of the early 30s and the cynical, sharp-tongued comedies of the 40s.
It’s also a reminder that the "1939 was the perfect year" narrative is a bit curated. For every Gone with the Wind, there were dozens of movies like this—solid, entertaining, slightly forgettable, but deeply revealing of the culture that made them.
People often confuse this film with others of similar names. There’s a 1933 film called Naughty but Nice starring Loretta Young, but that’s a completely different animal. The 1939 version is the one that really captures the "swing" craze that was sweeping the nation.
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Realities of the 1939 box office
While the big studios were pumping out epics, the mid-range musical comedy was the bread and butter of the industry. Naughty but Nice 1939 didn't break records, but it did exactly what it was supposed to do. It kept audiences in seats between the "big" pictures.
It also helped solidify Ann Sheridan’s star power. Shortly after this, her career exploded. She became one of the top pin-up girls of World War II. Watching her here, you can see the "Oomph" that the marketing departments were screaming about.
How to watch it today
Tracking down a copy isn't always easy. It’s not on every streaming service. You usually have to catch it on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) or find an old DVD release from the Warner Archive Collection. It’s worth the hunt if you’re a fan of the era.
If you decide to watch it, pay attention to the dialogue. It’s surprisingly snappy. The banter between Powell and Sheridan has a rhythm that you just don't see in modern rom-coms. They talk at each other, not to each other, in that classic screwball style.
Actionable insights for film buffs
If you're looking to explore the deeper cuts of 1939 cinema beyond the top ten lists, here is how you should approach it:
- Look for the "B" units: Search for films produced by the secondary units of major studios like Warner Bros. and MGM. These films often had more creative freedom because the executives weren't breathing down their necks as much.
- Follow the songwriters: Don't just look at the actors. Follow names like Harry Warren, Al Dubin, and Johnny Mercer. Their music often elevates mediocre films into something memorable.
- Watch for the character actors: In this movie, keep an eye out for Zasu Pitts. She’s a legend of the silent era who transitioned into these frantic, nervous-energy roles in the 30s. She’s a masterclass in physical comedy.
- Compare the remakes: If you can find the 1927 silent version, The Love Mart, compare how the story changed. It’s a great way to see how social norms shifted in just twelve years.
Naughty but Nice 1939 isn't going to change your life, but it might change how you think about "Old Hollywood." It wasn't all tuxedos and sweeping orchestral scores. Sometimes it was just a guy in a suit, a fast-talking girl, and a catchy tune that got stuck in everyone's head. It’s a little bit of fluff, but it’s high-quality fluff. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.